This invention relates to methods and apparatus for cutting, forming, and inserting cups into tubes. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for cutting aluminum disks out of a continually advancing strip of aluminum, forming the disks into cups, and maneuvering and inserting the cups into the ends of tubes.
The development of smoking articles containing a carbon heat source and a particulate flavor generating material has created the need for a chamber for containing the particulate material so that heat generated by the heat source will pass into the flavor generating material and cause the material to produce a flavored aerosol or vapor for inhalation. It is known to trap particulate matter between two screens pressed into the ends of a tube for use as such chambers. One problem with such chambers is to be able to manufacture them at a high rate of production corresponding to the high rates of production associated with manufacturing smoking articles.
The prior known methods or apparatus for performing the tasks of cutting, forming, and inserting cups into the ends of tubes performed these tasks separately in an uncoordinated sequence of steps in separate devices.
Heistercamp, U.S. Pat. No. 2,698,478, relates to inserting plungers into glass tubes to a preselected depth for manufacturing syringes. A rotating wheel containing a plurality of spring-loaded pusher plates is described. Each pusher plate is translated by being rotated past a fixed cam which causes the pusher plate to insert a plunger into a tube.
Horberg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,201,860, relates to inserting a first component into a second component at a first turret workstation, and inserting the first and second components into a third component at a second turret workstation. Cam and cam follower arrangements are used at the turrets to provide the insertion forces.
Acton, U.S. Pat. No. 3,466,731, relates to a pusher element that is nested inside a cutting element that is secured to a crosshead, whereby during advancement of the crosshead, the cutting element is advanced to cut a liner from a sheet material, and the pusher element is thereafter advanced to tamp the cut liner into a closure member.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for performing the tasks of cutting, forming, and inserting cups into the ends of tubes in a single, high-speed machine.
Further, there is a need for a method and apparatus for assembling at high speed a retaining means and a tube for receiving particulate matter for use in the manufacture of smoking articles.